From the Top of Mt Chimney
by xxkoffeexx
Summary: In which Flannery embarks on a journey upon her grandfather's suggestion. Multiple pairings.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: An experiment, so to say. Preparation for NaNoWriMo, maybe? Just a word of warning, I am a die hard Candlestickshipper. Also known as Flannery x Steven.

.

Prologue

.

Over the clinking of spoons and bowls, Flannery's laughter rang low. She'd just related a funny story to her grandfather. It wasn't a loud laugh, but it filled the small kitchen and spilled out of the open window into the evening sky. The kitchen was dim and orange, casting a glow over the simple meal and catching the red in Flannery's hair. She had lit the old candles around the room, and the scent of melting wax and spicy soup reminded her of the approaching autumn.

A cool breeze drifted occasionally through the window. It felt good against her skin when the spicy soup made her too warm. Flannery brushed back her long hair and took long gulps of ice water, not caring that the condensation dripped over her fingers.

Moore, her grandfather, broke off a piece of fresh bread. "Flannery," he said calmly, "how would you like to travel?"

Flannery finished swallowing the water and set the cup down with a sigh of satisfaction. The young woman picked up her spoon and shrugged. "It depends on what kind of travel, I guess," she answered, taking a mouthful of warm soup. "Why do you ask?"

The old man busied himself with the bread, not looking up at her. "I was thinking," he began slowly. "Why don't you go out and travel, like I did?" He didn't seem to notice her spoon pause as he continued, "You can explore parts of Hoenn that you've never seen before. Meet new people. Catch more Pokémon. It would be a great learning experience."

After a moment, Flannery spoke, "But what about the Gym?"

"The trainers and I can handle it while you're gone," Moore told her, glancing up with a slight smile. "I still remember a thing or two about battling."

There was a longer pause. "When will I leave? How long will I be traveling?"

"If you start this week, only about a month or so," he said, thinking aloud. "That should give you enough time to stop by each city and do some sightseeing. You can explore the caves and go to the beach. You could even observe the Gyms and learn how the other Leaders manage things." He paused upon seeing the blank expression on her face, giving her time to absorb his words. "And you can see your friends," Moore reminded quietly. "It's been a long time since you've seen them, hasn't it?"

At the mention of her friends, Flannery realized just how long it had been since she'd talked to them. They were so busy with their own lives that they barely had time to call, nevertheless see each other. Suddenly, she was overcome with nostalgia. Here was a chance to finally see them again. She missed them terribly. The thought of hugging and talking and laughing with her friends made her forget about everything else. She needed to go pack and call Roxanne, Winona, Sapphire—

Then she stopped and sank in her chair. "But what about you, Grandpa?"

He smiled in understanding. "It's okay," he assured. "I'll be busy taking care of things here while you're gone. But you need some fresh air. It's good to travel while you're still young. You'll learn many things that you couldn't at home, and you'll mature as well." The old man smiled warmly at his only granddaughter. "A month might seem like a long time right now, but it will fly by faster than you realize. You can tell me everything you did when you come back. Don't worry. I'll be waiting for you."

A silence settled in the kitchen. Then Flannery got up and went over to embrace him from behind, wrapping her arms around him and propping her chin on his thin shoulder—just like she did so many times when she was younger.

"Will you miss me?" she murmured plaintively.

His aged but strong hand reached up to pat her arms comfortingly.

"Every single day."

They stayed that way for a long time, until one of the candles flickered out from a particularly strong breeze. Then they began to plan for her trip.

.

From the Top of Mt. Chimney  
>By <em>xxkoffeexx <em>

.

Chapter 1

.

Flannery peered up at the sky with difficulty, her raincoat hood firmly blocking her view of the gray mass of clouds and volcanic ash. When her eyes returned to the earth, it wasn't very much different from the sky. It was like being trapped inside a snow globe, only the snow here was chalky and dirty.

She pulled out a bare hand from her pocket, catching the dry flakes as it fluttered from the sky. The flakes did not melt, and she stared at the soot contemplatively.

Did it ever rain or snow here? Was Route 113, nestled beside Mt. Chimney, destined to remain an eternal world of gray and white? Would this valley of ash forever be shadowed, unable to see sunlight, catching the discharge of an ancient and unyielding volcano?

This was not her first time here.

Flannery remembered coming here once with her parents when they were alive, and then again when her grandmother was still alive. She remembered visiting the glass workshop with her parents, where a man huffed and puffed near the furnace, creating a blue sea-glass orb—her mother's anniversary gift from her father. When Flannery stood in front of the workshop, more than ten years later, it was exactly the same as she remembered, though perhaps a little smaller and older.

She didn't step inside.

Despite the familiarity, she looked at this silent and static world with fascinated eyes. When she walked through the white grass, she watched the footprints behind her slowly disappear, erasing the evidence of her existence. It was as if she was never there.

A young lady holding a pink umbrella had been watching Flannery as she held out a bare hand to catch the ash flakes. They made eye contact and she waved, skipping over the ashes with a twirl of her umbrella.

"I'm warding off this filthy, yucky volcanic ash from my dear Numel," the young lady claimed, patting her pocket where presumably dear Numel resided in a pokeball. Flannery rather thought she was warding the ash from herself, but only nodded politely beneath her hood. The lady invited Flannery to join her under the pink umbrella—parasol—and the redhead obliged. They chatted about their plans for the future, and for a moment, they shared the same view of the sky.

It was pink.

.

Fallarbor Town was smaller than Lavaridge, and, if possible, quieter as well. Flannery liked it enough to stay there for one night, washing ash from her hair even though she had been wearing a hood. And it was during her stay at Fallarbor that she had a very ironic but awesome encounter with an equally awesome gentleman.

After lunch, she had been standing in front of the Pokémon Center, contemplating whether to use the PC or continue to Rustboro City and surprise Roxanne. She gathered her hair in a low ponytail and donned an old hat as an added precaution, so as to not attract attention. It wasn't that she didn't like being recognized, but in her limited experience, once a trainer laid eyes on a Gym Leader, there was no escape. Either the trainer wanted to talk or exchange numbers or even ask for a battle—Flannery's month-long trip would quickly turn into something else entirely. Thus, she decided to hide her identity.

An old gentleman had been standing nearby, and she gave him a polite smile when he glanced over.

He nodded back and said, "Excuse me, Miss. Are you a trainer by any chance?"

"I am," she replied, wondering if her cover was blown already.

His face transformed into an excited smile. "Have you already challenged Flannery, the Leader of Lavaridge Gym?" he inquired.

Flannery paused. "Um, not really…"

He didn't seem to notice her hesitation, because he continued eagerly, "The girl's grandfather was famous. He was one of the Elite Four in the Pokémon League at one point. It wouldn't surprise me to see Flannery become a great trainer in her own right."

Flannery didn't know whether to laugh or continue to pretend. She felt odd, hearing herself described as though she was a completely detached person. But she was also flattered, and extremely proud of her grandfather, because he was her role model and it was her dream to become as great a trainer as him one day.

"I'm sure she would be very happy to hear that," she told him with a smile.

.

On her way to Rustboro, Flannery discovered there were two kinds of people in this world: those who had adventures, and those who did not.

She fell in the latter group.

Lanette's house was almost midway between Fallarbor Town and the entrance to Meteor Falls. She knocked and waited for a few minutes, before finally trying the door. It was unlocked. Flannery cautiously let herself in. A chaotic clutter of machines and computers greeted her, the large room organized in a pattern that only the owner could discern. The heavy smell of overheated monitors, sharp ink, fresh paper and coffee made Flannery dizzy for a second. She found the light switch and stepped inside.

"Hello? Lanette?" she called. There was no answer. She was probably out running an errand and had forgotten to lock the door in her distraction. Lanette was an easily distracted person, after all.

Flannery was a little disappointed, even though there had been a high chance that Lanette wouldn't be in as they hadn't arranged a meeting. She wasn't particularly close to the PC expert, but the older woman had done her a favor recently and she'd been grateful ever since.

The redhead searched for a paper and pen to scribble Lanette a little note, proving she had stopped by. The little note turned into a long letter, and she wondered if typing it in one of the computers would have been better. She hunted for a tape to stick the note on the main monitor, and paused. On the screen there was an open email message from Bill, the Kanto region's PC storage creator.

She was only going to glance at it, assuming it was discussing computer jargon, but then suddenly caught the terse phrase, 'For now, go to Devon and recheck the security system.' Even though it was an invasion of privacy (though she'd crossed that line when she walked into the house without permission) Flannery grew curious and decided it couldn't hurt to take a quick peek.

'Lanette,

Sorry for messy email. It's 5 AM and I need coffee. As you probably heard by now, someone broke into Silph and stole some top secret data in the main computer. So much for my amazing codes. I'm tracking carbon footprints of criminal now—Devon is probably next target. Just letting you know, it isn't Silph. For now, go to Devon and recheck the security system. Track down the hacker while you're at it please. I'm getting my coffee.

By the way, I read your article on the uses and disadvantages of incorporating the newest D4 model storage system in'

The email broke off mid-sentence. Perhaps Bill realized he needed his coffee before discussing the uses and disadvantages of anything. Flannery wondered if this email was why Lanette left without shutting down the computers and locking the door. Judging by the fact that the email was sent this morning, Flannery must have just missed the other woman.

With another sigh, she taped her note to the monitor and walked out of the house, hearing the computers humming in her ears even after shutting the door.

.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

.

Meteor Falls was as dark and quiet as the Rustboro beach was loud and bright. The sheer contrast between them made Flannery feel as though she were traveling from one universe to the other, crossing time and space with only a few measured steps. But the sight of Rustboro, in all its urban and metal glory, made her sigh in relief. Traveling by foot was certainly a learning experience, but on the soles of her feet it was merely exhausting.

She decided not to call her friends. It was a risk, as she had learned with Lanette, but Flannery wanted to challenge herself. The idea was to rely less on technology and more on her own abilities: she wanted to enjoy nature at its purest state, without distractions. And that meant no calling people on her PokeNav (except for emergencies, of course).

Since she would most likely be staying at Roxanne's place, Flannery decided to look for her friend first. Her travel pack was growing heavy and her legs were sore. Sightseeing would come later.

There were two places that Roxanne was likely to be at in the afternoon: the Gym or the School. Since the School was closer, Flannery headed there first. Over the tops of apartments and stores, she could spy a tall glass building looming like an impressive giant. Devon Corporation, she thought, remembering Bill's email at Lanette's house. Perhaps Roxanne knew about the situation. She would ask about it later, if she remembered.

The Pokémon Trainer's School was small but pretty, with a plaza and a huge fountain directly in front of it. The building was located in the middle of the bustling city, and Flannery envied Roxanne for having the luxury of such an accommodation. Lavaridge had few children to teach, if any, even if there was a school to teach them in.

Inside, Flannery was greeted by a sweet woman behind the counter, who politely asked her name and business. She had little choice but to reveal her identity, but this made it all the more easier for her to gain access into the school. She was directed to Roxanne's classroom, after obliging the woman an autograph (apparently for her son, who was an ardent fan of Flannery), and soon she found herself peeking into a large classroom.

A familiar brunette was at the front, writing something on the chalkboard, and she didn't notice the newcomer standing at the door. A couple dozen students were busily writing notes at their desks, but they had noticed the stranger and stared at her inquisitively.

Flannery had an idea. She winked at the students and held a finger to her lips. They obeyed, watching her with a mixture of curiosity and hilarity as the young woman crept exaggeratedly towards the teacher, making some girls stifle giggles. As soon as she was close enough, Flannery quickly covered Roxanne's eyes from behind.

To her credit, the brunette didn't jump, though her chalk did jerk slightly. "Is it you, Brian?" Roxanne demanded instantly.

"It's not me!" a boy cried indignantly.

"He's too short," another kid snickered. Loud giggles followed.

Roxanne reached for the hands covering her eyes, playing along good-naturedly. "Hmm, is it Jane? Carol? Shana?"

"It's not us, Miss Roxanne," the girls chorused. "She's much older!"

Flannery mock glared at them, making them erupt into giggles again, and then opened her mouth to speak in a horrible rendition of a man's voice.

Roxanne's hand suddenly reached back to tickle her stomach and the redhead squeaked in dismay as she twisted in escape. The brunette whirled around triumphantly, but her eyes widened when she saw who it was. "Flannery!" And she promptly squeezed her friend.

With a laugh, Flannery hugged her back. "Hey Roxanne. Sorry I didn't call you. Were you surprised?"

"Surprised? I nearly had a heart attack." Roxanne pulled back sharply, eyeing her friend with a critical eye that made Flannery remember her disguise. "You lost weight," she observed. "I'll have to feed you. You're staying at my place, of course?"

"If you don't mind me mooching off you for a night or two…"

"After you came all this way to see me?" The shorter woman shook her head, long dark hair rippling like water. "We have a lot to talk about, my friend. I like your new style, by the way."

Before she could reply, one of the boys—Brian—inquired cheekily, "Miss Roxanne, is school canceled now?"

Flannery cringed, realizing she'd interrupted the class. But Roxanne lifted an eyebrow, fixing her hopeful students an expectant look that brooked no argument. "Nice try," she said. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet your new classmate, Flannery. Can anybody tell me who the Gym Leader of Lavaridge is?"

Several hands shot up. "Flannery!" a small girl answered confidently.

There was a collective gasp as the children connected two and two rather belatedly and stared at Flannery in a new light, amazed. She cracked a smile and waved. Awestruck whispers and squeals filled the room, making her glance at the teacher helplessly.

Roxanne seemed pleased. "Welcome to the class, Flannery."

The redhead smiled. "It's good to be here."

.

Rustboro at night was very different from Lavaridge at night. Flannery considered herself a modern woman, but as she walked down the crowded streets with Roxanne, she realized how sheltered her life had been. Young teens and couples buzzed in front of the brightly-lit shops, business employees carrying briefcases strode briskly to their destinations and street vendors called out to hungry pedestrians. Restaurants emanated delicious aromas, making her mouth water even though she'd already eaten dinner at Roxanne's house, and the sound of laughter and music filled the crisp autumn air.

"I didn't know Rustboro was so active at night," Flannery remarked as they squeezed past large groups of girls on the street.

Roxanne threw her a surprised glance. "This is nothing compared to Slateport or Lilycove."

After some more touring of the city (Roxanne wanted to stop by a bookstore and Flannery bought a fake pair of glasses—just for fun) the two friends settled in a cozy café between Devon Corp and the Gym. It was small and dusty, like an old bookstore, and Flannery thought it matched Roxanne's character quite well.

As they fell into reminiscent conversation, stirring cups of Berry tea, Flannery leaned back and confessed, "I've gotta be honest. When I first met you, I thought you were kind of scary."

Roxanne looked amused. "Scary?"

"Mm. It was at the Pokémon Association banquet, when I just became a Leader," Flannery explained. "You were with Brawly wearing that black dress, and your hair was up. I was already nervous, but when I saw your unsmiling face, I _swore_ you were glaring straight at me." Roxanne had to laugh and the redhead continued earnestly, "I'm serious. I thought you hated me or something. You were kind of intimidating. Maybe it was the teacher aura."

"You're right," the brunette conceded thoughtfully. "I was a different person back then. Too serious. I thought I'd reached a stage in my life when being relaxed meant being irresponsible."

Flannery smiled ruefully. "I was jealous," she admitted.

"Of what?"

"Of you. You were so confident and mature. You looked like a Leader, whereas me…" Flannery shrugged, not noticing her friend's surprised expression. "I felt so awkward and _not_-Leaderish. I didn't take myself seriously. I always compared myself to you and Winona."

Roxanne shook her head. "I was jealous of _you_," she said emphatically. "What girl wouldn't be? You were beautiful, friendly, and everybody instantly loved you—the exact opposite of me. I wanted to be more like you."

"Seriously? All this time I thought I was annoying you!"

"And I thought I was boring you."

They stared at each other for a moment. The dozing café owner was startled when the two women burst into ringing laughter.

"I wonder what Winona thought of us," mused Roxanne, leaning on an elbow.

"I was jealous of her too," Flannery sighed.

"Is _everyone_ secretly jealous of their friends in this world?" the teacher asked dryly. "I suppose the grass is always greener on the other side."

"Hmm." This made Flannery remember how she envied Lanette earlier that day. The computer expert seemed to lead an exciting life full of intrigue and adventure. But perhaps Flannery was simply glorifying something that was far from reality. Maybe she was secretly yearning for something better—something beyond her own comfortable and routine life.

Was that why her grandfather sent her on this trip, she wondered. Had he sensed her recent shift in attitude whenever she had to battle in the Gym? Did he recognize the malaise that had been settling over her like a little dark rain cloud?

Of course he did, she mentally snorted. He knew Flannery better than she knew herself.

"Speaking of Winona," began Roxanne with a sly smile, "I heard she and Wallace have been spending a lot of time together." The redhead raised her brows, not really impressed. Everyone knew the two had long reconciled after the Kyogre-Groudon incident. Their positions in the Pokémon world practically demanded a close, professional relationship. "They've been having dinner dates," Roxanne added, "_alone_."

Now her expression changed. "Are you serious?" Flannery demanded.

"Very."

"Like how alone?" She leaned closer.

Roxanne leaned in as well. "Like holding hands alone."

"Who initiated?"

"I think it was Winona."

Flannery's eyes widened. "Winona?"

"Winona."

"Then there's still hope," she breathed out.

The poor café owner jerked again when the two women squealed like teenagers and then laughed at themselves.

"Where did you hear this?" Flannery asked curiously. "Don't tell me it was Sapphire." Winona's protégé was infamous within Pokémon circles for her spying and eavesdropping. Her ability to climb almost anything and camouflage herself was practically legendary.

The brunette hesitated. "I actually heard it from Steven."

"Steven Stone?" For some reason, Flannery couldn't imagine the former Hoenn champion and Devon Corp heir freely gossiping about his friend's love life. "Really?" she asked skeptically.

Roxanne smiled wryly. "Alright, so he was talking on his PokeNav and I happened to overhear…"

"Oh Roxanne." Flannery shook her head in mock disappointment. "A teacher eavesdropping on other people's conversations. What is this world coming to?"

"Soon Gym Leaders will be disguising themselves and traveling the region."

"You're telling me."

.

As they walked home, or rather, to Roxanne's home, they stopped by the Rustboro Gym because Roxanne said she wanted to check something. Flannery waited outside as her friend went into the gym, staring up at the tall glass Devon Corp building just around the block. She remembered the Silph Co. robbery and wondered if Lanette had rechecked the alarms as Bill suggested. Once again, she reminded herself to ask Roxanne if she knew anything about the situation.

The autumn chill was noticeable at night, and Flannery was glad for her hat and scarf. She pulled out her recent purchases and tried on the fake glasses, a part of her wondering if she was taking this disguise thing a little too far.

A particularly strong breeze hit her left side, making her teeth chatter. The streets around the Gym were isolated and dark, heightening Flannery's discomfort. She turned to open the door and wait for Roxanne inside, when a flicker caught her eye.

There was a tiny, wobbling light coming from one of the highest floors in the Devon Corp building. Every other window was dark, so Flannery assumed it was one of the night guards on patrol. But further observation proved her assumption wrong. The tiny light seemed unsteady, waving back and forth in jerky motions, disappearing and reappearing like a wraith. It looked like an erratic code or message from a lighthouse. Certainly not the movements of a night guard doing his patrol.

As Flannery wondered for the third time if the security system was working, the entire Devon Corp building suddenly flashed red lights and a shrill alarm pierced the world. The night sky seemed to glow a disturbing auburn color, as though the clouds were on fire. Lanette definitely checked the alarms, she thought.

Soon, the sirens would join the wailing chorus and people would be drawn to the red lights like curious children. She stared at the scene for a few seconds, strangely mesmerized, before turning to open the gym door and whip out her PokeNav.

_That's right. Call for help. _

The alarms suddenly sounded like shrill screams. Each scream had words in it, and the words were accusing her, mocking her.

_Leave it to the professionals, little girl. So what if you saw the thief climb out the back window? So what if you're a Leader? You didn't do much against Team Aqua, did you? You couldn't help at all. Leave it to Roxanne, little girl. Leave it to the police. You're nothing special. Leave it to the real heroes. _

Her bare hands were clenched into numb fists, frozen blocks of ice.

_And you were never a Leader. Moore's precious granddaughter. You hide in his shadow and desperately catch the crumbs of glory in your little soot bag..._

Flannery turned and ran to Devon Corp.


	3. Chapter 3

****Author's Note: This chapter surprised me. Why is the story turning out like this? I'm not sure.

Also, I was thinking about the rating. In my opinion, the contents/themes of this chapter reflect reality, not something that should be screened or filtered from a young audience. But that's my opinion. If anybody who cares to review thinks the rating should change, I'm all for it.

.

**Chapter 3**

.

The second she began to run, Flannery knew it was a stupid idea.

She literally forced herself to halt, five steps away from the Gym entrance. Ignoring the curious spectators gathering on the sidewalks, she tried to clear her system, breathing in slowly. Her grandfather always told her to think before acting, but she never acted on his advice until now. This time she would carefully think everything through and do it right.

Putting aside the fact that she had no idea what she was going to do when she got to Devon Corp, she had no solid reason to go there in the first place. The robbery had nothing to do with her, and being a Leader didn't give her the license to take over the police's job anyway. By charging into the scene with only the desire to prove her self-worth, she was not only putting herself in a dangerous situation but also underestimating the Rustboro police and the Devon Corp workers as well. This was _their_ job, not hers.

As she predicted, the sound of police sirens came closer and louder, joining the wailing alarms in a strange kind of harmony.

"What's going on?" people were asking curiously, pointing at the red lights.

"A robbery," someone answered.

"A fire drill," somebody else joked.

The wisest thing for her to do now, Flannery decided, was to stay right where she was and keep a lookout in case something else happened in the area. The majority of the police were probably at Devon Corp, so if anything occurred elsewhere, they'd need backup fast—and Flannery would be there to back them up.

Besides, she realized belatedly, if she ran off now to the scene of the crime, she'd be ditching Roxanne and she was pretty sure her friend would not be pleased. At all.

It looked like half the city's population had turned out to join the crowds on the streets. Young teens pulled out their digital devices to take pictures and videos of the red-lit Corporation. Some concerned people wondered if it was safe for their children to be out right now. Most, however, took one glance at the building and then went on with their life, desensitized to such sights. Nobody paid attention to the redhead standing in front of the Gym because she was in the opposite direction of the Corporation- and she preferred it that way. She could see everything from her position.

That was why, approximately ten seconds later, Flannery noticed the thief walking quickly through the crowd towards Route 116 behind the Gym.

At first glance Flannery suspected nothing. The thief was a very ordinary-looking woman, wearing ordinary clothes and carrying an ordinary bag over her shoulder. She had brown hair, dark eyes, was shorter than Flannery by at least two inches and looked no older than Roxanne.

But it was the way she walked that caught Flannery's attention. There was no urgency or impatience in her steps, like the business workers eager to go home after a long day in the office, but there was a clear sense of purpose. She slipped invisibly through the crowd, stepping out of the way for other people but not slowing down or changing her direction at all. Her outfit was completely black, save for the white sweater that looked like it had been thrown on hastily over her black shirt. The medium-sized bag she slung over a shoulder was held carefully against her side, so as not to touch any passerby, and it looked rather too worn and dirty for a normal person to be toting.

All of this Flannery took in and processed during the short time it took for the woman to make her way towards the Gym and Route 116. If it weren't for the additional fact that the woman's timing was perfect, Flannery wouldn't have suspected a thing.

Still, she could be completely wrong and simply being paranoid. There was only one way to find out.

As the woman neared the Gym, Flannery went to stand in the middle of the path leading out of the city, PokeNav clutched inside her pocket. She wasn't blocking the way by a long shot, but nobody else was around and it was obvious nobody would get by without talking to her first.

The woman made eye contact with her. Both surprise and wariness flashed in her face before she gave Flannery a quick smile. "Hello," she greeted with a polite nod.

The redhead briefly wondered if it would have been better to reveal her identity as a Leader, but immediately dismissed the thought. She had another plan.

"Good evening," Flannery replied with an equally polite nod. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but I can't let you through right now. There's been a robbery at Devon Corp and our orders were to guard the city exits until the thief has been caught." It was amazing how easily the words flowed out of her mouth while inside her chest was pounding so hard she thought the bones might crack.

There was an appropriate pause before the woman remarked in surprise, "Is the thief still running about? How dangerous." She glanced back at the main road where the crowd continued staring at Devon Corp.

"Exactly," replied Flannery, "which is why we have to make sure she doesn't escape."

This time the woman was visibly taken aback. "The thief is female?"

"Yes. Thanks to some hidden cameras we were able to identify the thief as a young woman," Flannery said with a straight face, her eyes on the woman before her. "She couldn't have gone very far. Hopefully the police will be able to find her quickly and you'll be on your way, Ma'am." The redhead paused before saying, "Pardon me, but do you mind telling me why you're leaving the city right now?"

"Well, I don't really live in this city," the woman explained easily, her smile a little apologetic. "I came here to visit my cousin—I live in Verdanturf, just on the other side of the Rusturf Tunnel. My husband and son are waiting for me."

"I see." Flannery saw the way the woman shifted her bag ever-so-slightly so that it fit more snug between her hand and stomach—a protective and defensive gesture nearly unnoticeable to the casual observer. "This shouldn't take long, but perhaps you should give them a call? The Pokémon Center is just down the street if you need a phone."

"Excuse me, but you're not a police officer," the woman stated abruptly, cocking her head. "Do you work at Devon Corp? Perhaps you're part of the Gym?"

She was sharp, Flannery noted. If she was the thief, there was no way she would go into the heart of the city, not when the police already knew she was a young woman. True it only eliminated half the population, but who knew what else the "hidden cameras" had captured of the thief? Though, if she knew Flannery's orders were as fake as the hidden cameras, her attitude might change.

"Right now I'm under Officer Jenny's orders," she replied simply. "If the thief hasn't been caught yet, the others should be joining me soon to barricade the city. I'm afraid if you want to leave, you'll have to be searched thoroughly, Ma'am. It's for your own safety."

The woman's eyes narrowed before she suddenly smiled. "You're very young to work for the police," she commented, reaching for her bag flap. "I'm impressed. Not many pretty ladies like you choose such a risky career." She took a step forward and Flannery tensed automatically. "But have you ever thought you're fighting for the wrong side?"

"I'll have to ask you to stay where you are, Ma'am."

"The law is meant to protect people," continued the woman, her dark eyes gleaming. "But because the people enforcing the law are imperfect, doesn't that mean the law is flawed? In which case, the system has been rigged to favor those in power from the very start."

Flannery saw the woman's hand inch into the bag and she warned, "I wouldn't move if I were you." Her own hand reached for the pokéball tucked behind her belt. "Place your bag slowly on the ground."

The woman paused, her smile still in place. "I thought you weren't going to search me unless I wanted to leave the city?"

Time was up. Flannery replied calmly, "Seeing as the cameras caught your face, there's no need to wait. Where's the data you stole?"

"You Hoenn police are fast," the woman remarked in admiration, but her hand remained inside the bag. "From the window I was sure this path was wide open. I expected Silph to give you guys a heads up, but it seems I underestimated Rustboro."

Flannery recalled Bill's email and asked, "Why are you stealing data? Are you working for someone?"

"You didn't answer my own question," the woman countered lightly. "Don't you think the whole system is unfair? You've heard it before. 'Everyone is equal.' But not everyone is born equal. If you were born to a single mother who couldn't afford to raise you, is that considered 'equal' to someone born into a rich family? What if you were unable to become a Pokémon trainer because you were never given the opportunity? Or if you didn't have the money to buy medicine to heal your only Pokémon? Is that 'equal'?" The woman's smile was strained by this point and Flannery squeezed her pokéball tightly. "I don't think it's very equal at all. But I never complained because that was my life and I had no choice but to deal with it. I dealt with it by turning to someone who could not only understand me, but _save_ me. I was given Pokémon. I was given more money than I ever had in my entire life. He knew what it was like to be cheated by the law, to be on the losing side."

Behind the woman, Flannery saw Roxanne stepping out of the Gym, holding a PokéNav to her ear. The brunette glanced around and waved a hand when she spotted her friend, before running towards the main road. _Good_. Flannery, still holding her PokéNav in her pocket, hung up. Roxanne probably heard enough of the conversation to get the gist of everything. The police would be coming soon.

The woman didn't seem to realize what was going on behind her as she continued to talk.

"But then _justice_ prevailed and the Boss was taken down like some common criminal. I had to find a new way to survive, but how could I win a game that I've already lost?" She sneered at Flannery, her voice mocking. "People at the top can't see us little people at the very bottom. You've all been brainwashed and spoiled by greedy companies like Silph and Devon to think the system is fair. That's why I break the law—because it never applied to people like me in the first place. This?" She gestured at the wailing and flashing building. "This is the only way I can be equal to the rest of the world."

Flannery shook her head, thinking of Lanette and Winona and everyone who worked hard at what they did every single day. "What's unfair is that people like you steal what other people worked so hard to earn," she argued. "The companies that you steal from and accuse of being greedy are the very ones that provide jobs for hundreds of people trying to survive. A job that you could apply for."

The woman's dark eyes suddenly dimmed, and a sad, bitter smile took over her features as she said, "Don't you think I tried? I don't remember how many interviews I went to and failed. What are the chances of someone like me, with little education and recommendation, landing a decent job? I couldn't even afford to buy a proper outfit, let alone go to school. And hey, let's face it; I wouldn't want to hire me either."

At that, Flannery's throat tightened. _She's lying_, she thought. It was clearly an old trick, pulling the sympathy card.

But it was working. She thought of her own happy childhood and felt a stab of guilty realization. It was true that she was relatively well off compared to many other people. Too often she forgot about the children who lived on the streets, about the people who turned to crime because they had little choice. Not only was her grandfather a famous former Elite Four member, but she was born into a warm and loving home with the opportunity to catch Pokémon and become a Leader. Compared to so many people, she lived a blessed life. Compared to this woman who had turned into a life of crime, she…

Over the woman's shoulder the Rustboro police force appeared with Officer Jenny in the lead. They were shouting at the woman to put her hands up because she was under arrest. But she didn't even glance back, her eyes steadily boring into Flannery's.

"It's not too late," Flannery told her quietly. "Start over. I'll help you."

The woman smirked wryly. "No way. Why don't you join me instead?"

"I'm serious," she urged, glancing up as the police closed in on the woman. "I can help you. I'll talk to Officer Jenny. We can—"

"No. I made my choice. You made yours."

Before the police could reach her, the woman pulled out a small object from her bag and threw it on the ground.

Smoke exploded. Flannery was forced to cover her nose and mouth, but her eyes were already watering. Over the confusion and noise of the police, Flannery heard the woman speak quietly behind her. Then somebody bumped into her and grabbed her arm. She stumbled violently.

"I caught the thief!" he shouted triumphantly and then began to choke.

Flannery barely managed an incredulous, "What!" before also succumbing into a coughing fit. The grip on her arm was too strong to break away and she couldn't open her mouth to explain that she was not the thief. The smoke bomb had been a well-made one because it showed no signs of dissipating anytime soon.

Then over the chaos a familiar voice commanded, "Skarmory! Clear this smoke!"

There was a keening cry and a few seconds later the smoke disappeared with a powerful gust of wind. Flannery cautiously opened her eyes, blinking the sting out of them as she took in the scene. Police officers were scattered, some unlucky few sprawled on the ground after tripping in their temporary blindness. The thief was gone, of course.

There was a gleaming Skarmory standing off in the main road, but Flannery's attention was drawn to Roxanne standing near the Gym. She immediately moved to join her friend, but a sharp tug stopped her. She turned around to see the policeman gripping her upper arm.

"Oh no you don't," he said sternly, whipping out a pair of handcuffs from his belt much to Flannery's astonishment. "You're under arrest for breaking and entering as well as for wanton theft. And I won't even mention your little stunt with the smoke just now."

Some of the officers had gone to follow the other woman down to Route 116, but the others stayed behind to watch her. Flannery stared at him, stunned. "But I'm not the thief!" He gave her a disbelieving look and she insisted, "But I'm not! Didn't you see her? She had brown hair and was shorter than me by _this_ much—ask Roxanne!"

His eyes narrowed. "So you were her accomplice, is that what you're admitting?"

Flannery's mouth dropped. "I was the one that stopped her and called the police here! Trust me, I'm the last person who would steal—"

"I'd save it for the judge," he advised, pulling her arm behind her.

She was this close to poking him in the eye. "I'm not—"

"Flannery!"

She whirled around in relief. "Roxanne!"

The Rustboro Gym Leader was equally relieved to find her friend safe and sound, and then her face turned downright stony as she looked at the police officer. Her eyes were a ruby-wine sheen in the streetlight and she said in a crisp voice, "Officer, please remove your hands from my friend. She's the one who originally caught the thief. I believe the real thief is on her way to Verdanturf."

The officer, a young man Flannery realized, hesitated. "With all due respect, I follow Officer Jenny's orders—" he began.

Roxanne's eyes flashed as she cut in, "Officer Jenny gave you no orders to arrest innocent bystanders." Her voice didn't rise but it might as well have. Then she added almost in afterthought, "I doubt she would be very happy to know you tried to arrest a Gym Leader."

The Gym Leader card might have worked, thought the redhead, if her hair wasn't loose and she wasn't wearing thick-framed glasses. Police officers were muttering to each other uncertainly. The policeman stared at both women, clearly unsure whether to believe them or not. Fortunately, he didn't have a chance to say anymore as Officer Jenny's voice came from behind them.

"What's going on here, Roxanne?"

The brunette turned and switched on a confident smile. "Well, I think Flannery can tell you better than I can…"

Flannery launched into an account of what happened to her during the last ten or so minutes (after taking off her stupid glasses and convincing them that she was indeed the real Flannery) while another policeman jotted down notes. Other officers spread out to follow the thief and taped off the area as curious civilians gathered on the street to watch the spectacle. Officer Jenny ordered her men via walkie-talkie to hurry over to the nearby town in the hopes of catching the thief. Apparently there was no active police force there, but they might be able to surround the area and block off any escape routes—before the International Police got involved.

The policeman who had tried to arrest Flannery wouldn't stop apologizing. She forgave him easily, since his mistake had been understandable, and claimed she was completely fine. But exhaustion suddenly slammed into her body like a tsunami wave, making her knees buckle slightly. She became aware of her dry eyes and parched throat, and the hours of walking to Rustboro early in the morning as well as exploring the city at night was finally taking its toll on her.

"Good thing Steven blew away the smoke," Officer Jenny grimaced as she glanced at the pedestrians. "Devon Corp is bad enough. If the media got hold of this little scene the police's image would probably never recover."

Roxanne gestured at her Gym. "Think about my image. At least your headquarters wasn't across the street while it happened."

"What about my image?"

At the new voice, the three women turned to see the Skarmory from before and a young man in civilian clothes walking towards them. He wore a zipper jacket with the hood pulled over his head, but as he came closer, Flannery began to recognize him. His voice, his Pokémon, the manner in which he walked—it was all very familiar, but for some reason she had a hard time believing this guy was Steven Stone. It was silly, but she was so used to seeing him in a suit that without he looked like a completely different person.

"Your image will always be the same," Roxanne assured the young man dryly. "Nobody, not even the media, could speak badly of you, Steven."

"I doubt my father would agree," he replied lightly, he and Skarmory stopping in front of them. "Not after tonight's failure. The blame will fall entirely upon Devon Corp, since we hadn't bothered to warn the city beforehand." His faint smile was self-deprecating. "At least the stolen data was fake."

Flannery felt a surge of pride despite her tiredness. The fake data was probably Lanette's doing, and knowing the computer genius she was probably gloating to Bill at this very minute.

"Did you find the thief?" Officer Jenny asked, even though they knew the answer.

Steven shook his head, letting out a short breath. "It's too dark to see anything properly by air."

The azure-haired woman nodded. "Leave it to us. Manhunts are our territory." She glanced at Flannery and commented, "Besides, we've got some good info thanks to Flannery here. We'll find the thief in no time."

He blinked at the redhead, looking at her truly for the first time. "Flannery?" Steven repeated in surprise. "I didn't recognize you."

How fortunate he hadn't seen her in the glasses. "Same here," she responded with an awkward smile. "Thank you—and Skarmory—for taking care of the smoke earlier."

"I should be the one thanking you," he objected, bowing slightly. The motion looked elegant even in casual clothes, and when he straightened to give her a warm smile, Flannery could feel her cheeks heating up despite the cold autumn air. "If it weren't for your timely intervention, the thief could have been across Hoenn by now. Thank you."

She was pleased but also very embarrassed. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. _And_ she escaped."

"Only after you got information," Officer Jenny reminded. Her walkie-talkie buzzed with static and she remarked, "Well, I've got to report back to HQ. I'll see you folks later." They exchanged goodnights and after saluting, she sped off on her motorbike, taking the rest of the officers with her.

"We should be heading home too," Roxanne announced, nudging the redhead's side. "It's been a long day for you."

"Speaking of which," said Steven, looking at Flannery, "how long will you be staying at Rustboro?"

Flannery blinked, not really having planned it out in detail. "Um," she began, "I think two or three days." It didn't really matter, since she was on vacation, but she didn't want to take advantage of her friend's hospitality for too long.

"Why do you ask?" added Roxanne.

"I'd like to thank you on behalf of Devon Corp," explained the President's son, "and I wondered which day might be appropriate. It won't be a very formal affair, I'm afraid, since the company has its hands full at the moment, but… well, I'm not leaving for a couple days, so perhaps I could treat you to dinner?"

Flannery's eyes widened and she blushed, even though she knew he was being completely neutral about the offer. "Oh! Um, that's okay, you don't need to—"

The brunette suddenly cut in, "She's free tomorrow evening. Is this a one-on-one thing?" She ignored Flannery's pointed look and waited expectantly for Steven's reply.

"Perhaps. You're not joining us?"

Roxanne shook her head and, a little too regretfully in Flannery's opinion, declared, "I'll be busy this whole week. But since Flannery's here on vacation, you should definitely take her out. Give her a tour of the city or something… unless you're too busy?"

"Not at all. My schedule was canceled this week so I decided to drop by Rustboro and see my father." His voice became wry as he added, "The timing couldn't have been better."

"Then you're both on vacation," the teacher remarked with satisfaction. "That works out perfectly."

"You're right," Steven agreed, looking at Flannery. "I'd been meaning to stop by Mt. Chimney soon. Perhaps meeting you here was no coincidence?"

"Mt. Chimney?" She blinked, forgetting to glare at her friend. "What for?"

He suddenly looked hesitant, but before he could reply, loud feminine shouts made them turn around. A group of women, both young and old, were gathered on the main street and waving at them—or rather, at Steven, because they were calling his name.

"See, it is him! I _told_ you that was his Skarmory."

"We love you Steven!"

"He's so cool!"

Flannery heard him release a quiet sigh before lifting a hand of acknowledgement, making the group squeal even louder. A few teens were taking not-so-secret pictures of him, and if it weren't for the police tape, they probably would have made a mad dash for the former Hoenn Champion. Flannery and Roxanne took one glance at each other and held back a burst of laughter, turning to hide their reactions from Steven's fan club. The man gave them a look, clearly not amused, and then laid a hand on Skarmory's wing, his metal rings making an audible clinking sound.

"Time for me to go," he sighed a little louder, ignoring the two women's chuckles. To Flannery he said, "I'll give you a call tomorrow. We can decide when and where to meet then." He leapt onto Skarmory's back with ease and the crowd of women swooned unanimously.

Flannery decided now was the time to speak or forever hold her peace. "You don't have to, Steven. I know you must be really busy and Roxanne's given me a tour of the city already…" _And having a dinner date with you alone is really awkward because I don't really know you that well and I won't be able to eat a single bite because I'm too uncomfortable and I really hate wasting food. _

"He's rich," Roxanne pointed out, as though reading her mind. "Just accept his offer."

The redhead didn't really know what to say to that, but Steven gave her another one of his smiles that made her flush. "Don't worry, I want to treat you," he assured her, and then added, "You should put your hair down more often." Before she could respond, Skarmory spread its wings and took to the sky with a sharp gust of wind. The crowd of women cheered and waved him off enthusiastically.

Flannery and Roxanne watched him disappear into the starry night sky. There was a moment of silence before they began walking down the street towards Roxanne's house.

"Was he flirting with you?" the brunette asked.

"Were you trying to set us up?" Flannery demanded in return.

Her friend gave a casual shrug. "Only because he was clearly interested in you."

"How do you know?"

Roxanne raised an eyebrow. "He was already on his way to see you," she enunciated. "_And_ he noticed your hair. How is that not flirting?"

Flannery decided she was too exhausted to respond.

.

When she woke up in the middle of the night because her blankets had fallen off, Flannery remembered the thief's last words as she escaped into the smoke.

"_I like you. Let's meet again." _

The conversation with the woman replayed over and over again in broken fragments inside Flannery's head, shifting and twisting like a labyrinth. As she stared up at Roxanne's living room ceiling, she began to see faces of children she glimpsed in her memories, sad and dirty, blending in with the cold alleys and staring back at her with unspeakable eyes. She felt the warmth of Steven's hand as it rest idly on Skarmory's cool wing, his eyes half shadowed by the jacket hood. Then she was sitting in her kitchen back at Lavaridge, the candles blowing out one by one as a wind of change settled inside of her bones…

Before she knew it, dawn had arrived.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

.

Flannery didn't think she was a narrow-minded person, but she heard once that a city which looked beautiful in both the sun and rain was a truly beautiful city. Rustboro City looked very nice in the sun, especially when the light hit the tall building windows at a certain angle, making them glisten like crystals. Rustboro in the rain was a different story. Rustboro in the rain was not beautiful.

So, that rainy late afternoon, Flannery concluded that Rustboro was not a truly beautiful city.

Her PokéNav was ringing even as she headed for Devon Corp, which was where she was meeting Steven for the promised dinner. Muttering dark things about the weather and Roxanne, Flannery quickly dug out the device from her raincoat. "Hey!" she greeted hastily. "Sorry, I'm on my way right now."

"…_Flannery_?"

"Grandpa!" She nearly walked into a telephone pole in her surprise. "Um, hi Grandpa. How are you?"

"_Lonely without you of course_," he sighed tragically, making her laugh. "_But otherwise I'm as fit as a fiddle. How are you, my dear? You sound busy._"

She could see Devon Corp looming before her like a giant. "Well, I'm actually meeting someone right now… Could I call you later tonight?"

"_If you're busy then there's no need. I just wanted to hear your voice and make sure you're alright. I heard there was a robbery at Devon Corp yesterday_._" _

"Oh. Yeah… that."

"_But it sounds like you're safe and sound. Tell Roxanne I say hello. And don't worry about the Gym—you can travel for as long as you want. We can all manage somehow. And call me anytime you need anything, you hear?_"

Despite the annoying weather, she felt a surge of love and gratitude rush through her cold body until even her fingertips felt warm. "I love you, Grandpa," Flannery said, knowing he heard everything else in those few words.

"_I love you too, dear. Take care." _

She tucked her PokéNav away with a smile, feeling all was right with the world. But as she stopped before the colossal building, she realized that even though her grandfather heard about the robbery, he had no clue she was involved. At least, he gave no real indication of knowing. That meant the media chose not to reveal her identity or didn't know she played a role, which also meant the police and Devon Corp must have either forbidden broadcast or decided not to make it public. Flannery wasn't sure how she felt about being on national TV, but seeing as one of her goals for this trip was to remain as inconspicuous as possible, this was probably a lucky break for her.

Her PokéNav rang again before she could step into Devon Corp. There was a slight frown on her brow as she considered ignoring it, but when she pulled it out and saw who was calling, the frown disappeared.

"Hey Steven. I'm standing in front of Devon Corp—"

"_Don't go in." _

She stopped mid-step. "What?"

"_There are news reporters in there right now. I don't want them to see you." _

Talk about irony. Flannery backed away from the doors. "What should I do?" she asked. Maybe they could arrange another meeting place where there were less people around to recognize him. Or maybe, she thought belatedly, they would just have to cancel the dinner altogether.

"_Stay where you are,_" he replied calmly._ "Is your umbrella dark blue?_"

She blinked and glanced around, trying to look for him. "Yeah."

A slight noise of alarm slipped past her throat when someone unexpectedly ducked under her umbrella and pressed against her side, dripping rainwater. She stared as he grasped the umbrella and held it up higher, his bare hand just above her own. His clothes and hair were completely soaked, but when Steven looked down at her, he smiled warmly.

"Sorry about that," he apologized, leading them onto the street. "It wasn't easy trying to sneak out."

Her mouth fell open. "You didn't have to wait for me outside!" Flannery kept glancing at him, feeling the cold from his clothes seeping through her own coat sleeve. "You're going to get sick," she added with a little more worry.

He smiled at her again. "I'll be fine. Is there anywhere nearby you'd like to go? It's been a while since I've eaten out in this city." His voice became wry as he continued, "I'm afraid the restaurant I had in mind is not an option at this moment."

"Oh. Was it inside Devon Corp?"

"Yeah. The media got wind of you stopping the thief last night and demanded an interview." Steven quickly assured her, "Don't worry, we won't say anything about you. There's no need for outsiders to get involved in our mess."

His shoulder bumped hers lightly as they turned the corner. "Did you find the thief?" she asked.

"Not yet. The police picked up a trail in Slateport, but with so many people coming in and out of that city I doubt it'll be easy to find her."

"I see."

They squeezed past a cluster of teenagers and Flannery chewed her lip, thinking of an appropriate place to get out of the rain. Then she brightened as an idea struck her.

"Steven, do you know the bookstore café?"

.

Flannery stirred the hot lemon tea absently with a small spoon and took a careful sip. The hot liquid passed through her mouth into her throat and settled comfortably in her stomach, making her smile. She looked up at Steven, who was also stirring his tea, and asked, "So why were you thinking of visiting Lavaridge?"

The bookstore café was quiet and nearly empty, exactly as she hoped. The café owner recognized her as Roxanne's friend from the night before. If he recognized the Devon Corp heir underneath the dripping clothes then he didn't show it. After handing out dry towels, the older man tactfully disappeared into the backroom, giving the two people some privacy. Soft music played from an old radio in the corner, accompanied by the pitter-patter of rain outside.

"My father was thinking of visiting the hot springs there," Steven explained. "He also wanted me to check out the hiking paths on Mt. Chimney, since it's supposed to have the best view in all of Hoenn."

"It does," she told him. "I'm not biased at all."

"Of course not," he chuckled and she smiled as well, pleased to make him laugh. She'd had the feeling that he was a cold and standoffish guy around people who weren't close to him, but the past five minutes or so had proven her completely wrong.

"If you do come to Lavaridge," she said, "then I would recommend staying for at least three nights. The owner of the hot spring inn gives discounts for three nights or more. Plus, that gives you enough time to tour the town and hike up Mt. Chimney." Flannery gave him her best winning smile. "I can give you the tour myself."

Steven shrugged. "How could anybody say no to an offer like that?" And she laughed.

He was very good at carrying any conversation topic that arose, even the trivial ones. He was surprisingly funny as well. Flannery never laughed as hard as she did when he told her how nervous Wallace was before his dates with Winona. She wanted to ask him about what Roxanne overheard, but gossiping about other people's love life didn't seem appropriate now. She was more interested in hearing about his pivotal Pokémon battles and what spelunkers actually did in those caves.

It wasn't until her PokéNav rang that Flannery realized how much time had passed.

"_Flannery_?"

"Hey Roxanne."

"_Do you know what time it is? Are you still with Steven?" _

She glanced at her watch at the same time Steven remarked, "Wow, it's this late."

"Sorry," she apologized. "You should go to sleep first. I'll be home soon." Flannery noticed too late when he got up to pay the bill. "Wait, Steven, I can split it—" But he waved it aside and she gave up reluctantly since Roxanne was hissing into the phone.

"_Don't pay, let him! He's the man, he should do it." _

"Okay."

"_Is he paying?" _

Flannery rolled her eyes at her friend's skeptical voice. "Yes, he's paying. All right, I'll be back soon. Don't wait up for me, Roxanne."

"_Make sure he walks you home…!" _

"Yeah, yeah, got it."

Steven came back and the café owner began closing up. Flannery smiled her thanks at him and, after grabbing their belongings, they left the shop. He, of course, offered to walk her home.

It had stopped raining. Outside, the smell of wet cement and trees permeated the night air. There were still a few people walking the streets, but unlike during the day it was quiet and calm. A cold breeze made her shiver in a pleasant way.

"There's a full moon," he commented, making her look up as well. In the clear sky the moon was particularly bright and round, nearly as illuminating as the sun.

"It's beautiful," she sighed, not paying attention to the road in front of her. He caught her elbow before she could run into a sign pole. "Whoa. Thanks," she said, feeling her face heat up despite the cool temperature.

"Be careful," he said gently.

It was as if the moon had weaved a spell and muddled up her brain. Flannery felt she was in a dream. All too soon they were standing in front of Roxanne's apartment and she was waiting for him to say goodnight.

"I had fun today," he told her with a smile.

"Even getting wet in the rain?"

He laughed. "It was worth it."

She smiled back, conscious of the moon lighting her face. "Good. Thanks for hanging out, Steven. Remember to call me if you're ever in Lavaridge."

"I will. Keep me updated on your travels."

They bid each other goodnight and he watched her go into the apartment building before walking back to his place. Flannery wondered why she felt oddly elated yet disappointed as she climbed the stairs.

Roxanne's door burst open before she could unlock it, and the brunette appeared in the doorway in her pajamas. She looked a little wild-eyed.

"So? How was the date? I saw him walk you home. Did he ask you out? What did you eat? Tell me everything young lady!" She marched her friend into the apartment as Flannery laughed.

After recounting the events of the evening down to the very last detail, Roxanne was satisfied. "I should be a matchmaker," she remarked, hugging the sofa pillow from her position on the ground. "When are you meeting him again?"

"It's not like that," Flannery sighed, knowing it would be useless on her friend. She tried to explain it anyway, knowing her friend would understand eventually. "I think I have a crush on him, but honestly I think it's more out of admiration and friendship. He's so well-known in the Pokémon world and I only hope I can do half the things he's done. If I want to be serious, then I have to focus on my own life and do the things I can do right now."

Roxanne slowly nodded. "I guess you're right. You're still young. There's plenty more chances to have a relationship later on. But… just don't do anything you'll regret, okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like me." When this didn't clarify anything, the brunette added, "Me and Brawly."

Flannery's expression cleared. "Ah." She heard in the barest details about how the two fought together during the Kyogre-Groudon incident and came close to death. She flumped back on the living room sofa and stared at the ceiling. "You know, I doubt me and Steven will ever experience something like that."

"You never know."

"Hmm." Flannery shook her head with a smile. "But near-death experiences would bring anybody close together. I mean… I'm not interested in dating anyone right now. Like you said, I'm still young and I have so many things I want to do. Just taking care of Grandpa and the gym is enough to keep me busy. I have no time for dating. And I doubt Steven does either." It almost sounded like she was convincing herself. Almost.

Roxanne gave her friend a thoughtful look and finally smiled tiredly. "It's your life, Flannery. Whatever you decide, I'll support you."

"Says the person who tried to set me up on a date."

"And succeeded. You had fun! And you got some experience, right? Now you know what to expect on a date and what kind of guy you're interested in."

"Eh. That's… true?" Flannery yawned. "I don't know anymore. I'm exhausted. What time do we have to get up tomorrow?"

Her friend stood up and tossed the pillow onto the sofa. "If you're planning on going to school with me, then seven-thirty. By the way, when do you plan on going to Petalburg?"

"It depends."

"On what?"

Flanner rolled over until she was peeking up at her friend. "On the weather. I'm not walking all the way down there in the rain."

"Lazybones. What if it doesn't stop raining until you have to go back home, huh?"

"Then I'll be keeping you company, roommate."

Roxanne smirked. "And you'll be paying me rent, tenant."

They laughed.

.

The rain stopped the next morning. Flannery stayed in Rustboro for two more days and, after promising Roxanne to call soon, set off for Petalburg City.

In the sunlight, she decided that Rustboro was a truly beautiful city.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

.

It was colder on Dewford Island. The beach was emptier too. Tourist season had passed, Brawly explained, and the residents were preparing for winter. Standing in the white sand with her toes facing the sea, Flannery felt as though she was at the edge of the world, teetering on an invisible line.

Torkoal, released from its ball after a long rest, could not keep still. Having lived by a volcano, it had never been near such a large body of water before. Flannery watched, amused, as the fire Pokémon plodded across the damp sand, getting closer and closer to the giant waves. As soon as the sizzling foam got too close, however, Torkoal turned and fled back to Flannery, bawling in terror. Then it would quickly turn back and challenge the waves once more.

Chuckling, she plopped down on a patch of dry sand and half-closed her eyes against the cool breeze, wondering what people were doing at the other side of the ocean. Norman was the exact same stern, amazing gym leader she remembered when she stopped by Petalburg. His wife was as sweet as always. Was Roxanne battling in her gym or teaching a class? Was Steven still helping his father at Devon Corp? Was her grandfather eating properly?

Someone called her and she saw Brawly jogging toward her over the sand dunes, a white plastic bag swinging from his hand. Smiling, she waved back. Torkoal toward them, sensing it was meal time. She took out its favorite Berries from her bag as Brawly dropped down next to her.

"Oh, this is my favorite sandwich," Flannery exclaimed, taking it out of the plastic bag. "You remembered? How sweet."

His blue eyes twinkling, the surfer nudged hard enough to topple her over. "I didn't say these were for you," Brawly joked, trying to grab the sandwich. "Buy your own. I'm starving from being a tour guide."

"You gave me a _five minute _tour of the entire island."

"Exactly. I'm famished."

Flannery took a huge bite of her sandwich before he could steal it. "Me too," she forced out mid-chew. "I'll think of you as I eat this." He laughed and grabbed his own meal.

"So, you need to buy a camera?" he asked between bites.

"Yeah. Can I get one around here?"

"Sure, I know a place that sells them for a good price. We can go now since I don't have surfing classes today." Brawly abruptly paused and lowered his sandwich. "I kind of want to go on a month-long trip too."

Flannery lifted an eyebrow at his wistful tone, teasing, "You miss her that badly? She seemed to think of you a lot." They both knew who 'she' was.

There was a long silence as they ate their lunch, watching the waves drift in and out of the beach.

Suddenly the fighting-type specialist stood up. She stared as he marched straight to the ocean without a word or glance, stopping near the foams where she'd been standing. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and stared at the ocean. Flannery continued eating, wondering if it was her fault somehow.

Abruptly, he shouted at the waves, "Roxanne! Roxaaaane!"

Flannery giggled, sharing a look with Torkoal that said he was clearly out of his mind. But Brawly wasn't near finished.

"I wanna see you so bad it drives me insane! I wanna see your face! I wanna hold you! I want _you_! Instead I've got your friend and her Pokémon!" He took a deep breath. "Marry me, damn it!"

Flannery and Torkoal watched him in quiet fascination, munching on their food. "I think I'm going to cry," the redhead remarked, oddly moved by the sight of him screaming his lungs out. Flannery wondered if a guy would ever scream at an ocean like this for her. She felt something twinge deep inside her chest. Sympathy? Jealousy? Heartburn? She ate her sandwich too fast.

When Brawly was done, he returned to his seat. She observed his calm appearance and asked, "By any chance, do you do this often?"

He replied, "Every day."

.

They went to find her a camera.

The surfer never liked winter, and the long distance relationship with Roxanne didn't help his depression either. His mother was also nagging him to get a wife and settle down.

He wasn't complaining, per se, but it made Flannery realize that life after becoming a couple wasn't all romance and starlight. It seemed like the responsibilities and compromises outweighed everything good about being in love. She wondered if it was worth it, and asked him so.

To her surprise, Brawly shot her an easy grin. "Yeah, yeah it is. Sometimes it sucks. But I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Flannery was dubious. "I guess I can always just adopt children," she concluded. He laughed, but she wasn't really joking.

.

She managed to catch a boat ride with Mr. Briney, who was heading to Slateport. But he planned to leave early the next morning in order to catch the east wind, and so she cut her stay in Dewford shorter than she intended.

Brawly didn't say anything, but she could tell he was disappointed. She felt the same way, since he was like the brother she never had. In honor of her final night in Dewford, they played video games and ate snacks all night long. When it was three in the morning and they had no idea why they were laughing, Flannery remembered admitting that she wasn't good with kids. She would make a horrible teacher.

"There's stuff you're good at and stuff you're not," he said, eyes glued to the game.

"I'm jealous," she said. Or at least that's what she thought she said. She didn't really think much of anything until dawn arrived and it was time to meet Mr. Briney at the dock.

Brawly saw her off. After exchanging the usual goodbyes, they hugged each other for a long time. To an outsider they might have looked like lovers, but Flannery thought the expression on his face, the longing to see one woman across the ocean, was too painful.

"Since I hugged Roxanne," she said into his shoulder, "this is like hugging her too."

He laughed weakly in response, but she knew her words had touched him a little.

.

Mr. Briney, being the seaman he was, bellowed captain-like phrases and sang a ditty as he navigated his precious boat out into the deep blue. Flannery could imagine him and her grandfather having a good time together, laughing, singing and roaming the seven seas. Her camera, a simple device, snapped scenes of the captain and his Wingull looking towards the dazzling horizon with the cotton blue sky as a backdrop.

The voyage was all too short, and soon they were docking onto Slateport's crowded beach.

Slateport looked like a glittering city in a postcard. Her feet sunk into the hot white sand, the sunlight heavy on her head and shoulders. She smelled the salty sea, mixed with sunscreen lotion and aromatic food. Flannery had to shield her eyes from the glare of the sun in order to see where she was going, and even then she bumped into people, mostly young couples, colorful swimsuits and umbrellas. In one corner of the beach was a huge, temporary stage, decked out with lights and speakers; on the opposite side was a café hut selling lemonade and cool shade. She could hear a cacophony of noise rising above the sound of ocean waves—children shrieking in laughter, animated conversations, booming music, and Wingulls calling to one another.

Flannery escaped the beach, only to get sucked into the streets and the public market. There, she was assaulted by more colors, and the only way to move was to shuffle along with the people around her. Rows of varied carts and stalls selling goods to both Pokémon trainers and tourist caught her eye, but she didn't feel like buying anything yet. The smell of sweating people and special herbs was starting to get to her, and the vendors' shouts were loud enough to pierce through the buzz of the crowd.

Slightly overwhelmed, Flannery managed to find a room in the Pokémon Center. Inside it was blessedly cool and peaceful. Exhausted from the all-nighter, she fell on the bed and took a nap.

She was more tired than she thought, because when she woke up the moon was shining through the window and it was incredibly silent. She was also starving. Grabbing her wallet, she ventured out to the nearby mart, marveling at how busy Slateport was even at midnight.

Flannery took her meal to the beach, sat in the sand near the lit beach café and stayed there for almost an hour, gazing out at the dark ocean and the starry night sky. It was chilly and she forgot to bring a jacket, but she didn't want to go back to the PokeCenter yet.

Swift movement in the sky caught her eye. A shooting star.

It was gone in a flash and she sighed. That was her very first shooting star. She was exhilarated almost to the point of tears—it was a shame her grandfather wasn't here to see it with her. No doubt the two would have made a huge deal out of it, claiming the wish for their own and laughing over their childishness. Just thinking about it made Flannery chuckle.

And yet her chest ached something terrible, making her swallow hard as if to clear away the discomfort. What was this loneliness crawling up the inner walls of her stomach like a hungry vine? More importantly, how could she stop it?

Flannery stared at nothing for ten more minutes before returning to the Center.

.

Fortree City was aptly named. Flannery gazed up at the towering tree trunks and wondered how many centuries those branches watch pass them by. Countless, probably. Enough to make her feel like a newborn baby taking her first gulps of fresh air.

Staring at the treetops made her dizzy and she had to take in deep breathes to regain her equilibrium.

No doubt Winona loved to fly because she lived so high above the ground. Flannery smiled as she remembered the older woman saying that if she didn't fly she felt like she was in an underground cave, stifled and claustrophobic. She confessed escaping the office sometimes in order to soar through the skies. It was her favorite pastime other than battling.

Bearing this in mind, Flannery went straight to the Fortree Gym.

"She said she had something to take care of," one of the gym trainers informed when the redhead inquired her whereabouts. He was observing a battle where a large Fearow was dodging Marill's waterbeams with graceful ease.

"When will she be back?" Flannery asked.

"I don't know," he said. "I mean, she's a pretty busy person. Are you a challenger?"

"No, I'm a friend…"

The no technology rule was proving to be inconvenient, but Flannery refused to use her PokéNav. She managed to be independent this far into her trip. She would simply search for her friend the old-fashioned way.

Flannery began asking people if they had seen her friend, going into stores and even approaching random people on the street. Her search commenced a little past noon after eating lunch at a place called Treehouse Café. Everybody seemed to think Winona was at the gym. Nobody knew where she really was.

By the time she found Winona in her house, apparently doing grueling paper work all day, it was nearly sunset and Flannery was ready to collapse.

"You should have called!" Winona exclaimed after ushering the exhausted woman inside and hearing about her epic manhunt that took her around the entire city at least five times. When Flannery explained her no technology rule, she laughed. "Silly. And when did you start wearing glasses?"

The two friends caught up while making dinner. Flannery noticed Winona was more relaxed when she talked about her job, and she smiled more often than before. The effect was profound because Winona was a beautiful woman especially when she smiled.

Flannery pondered over the meaning for this change throughout dinner and tea, deciding it had to be something personal. The answer came with a firm knock at the door. The two women glanced at each other and then at the clock. It was nearly midnight.

"Who in the world—" Winona began, then cut herself off with a gasp. "I totally forgot! It's Wallace." She looked at Flannery with wide eyes.

The redhead stared back for only a second and hissed, "Go get it! He's waiting. Do you—" She got up halfway out of her seat with her teacup. "Should I hide?" she almost whispered.

"No! Just stay." Winona was already on her way to the door, disappearing beyond the foyer wall. Flannery hurried around fixing the couch pillows as she heard voices, unsure as to why she was so excited, then plopped down in her spot as they entered the room. Her face was fixed in an appropriately calm-but-pleasantly-surprised expression, but it quickly morphed into plain surprise.

Following Wallace and Winona into the room, Steven Stone was staring at her with a similar expression.

"Flannery just got here," Winona explained to the two men. "She came to visit for a few days."

Wallace looked straight at Flannery and smiled. "It's been a while since we last met. How are you? And your grandfather?"

She grinned back, at ease with the man who obviously cared a lot for her friend. "Good! We're both doing good. I'm sorry. I didn't know you were coming over…" She quickly glanced at Steven, but he was looking away. He was wearing his usual suit.

"It's business," Winona said firmly. "Have a seat, you two. I'll grab the files." She strode out of the room, leaving the three people to look at each other. Flannery sat down first, then immediately jumped back up.

"Would you like some tea?" she asked them. They politely declined. It was rather late, after all. She wondered if this kind of thing happened frequently.

When it became obvious Winona wasn't appearing with the files right away, she decided to make some light talk. "Where will you stay tonight?" she asked.

"At the Pokémon Center," Wallace replied. "Usually I would drive back home, but since it's so late today and Steven's here, I thought we might as well reserve a couple rooms."

She nodded. "I see…"

"Yeah…"

They looked at Steven. He looked at the table.

There was a loud silence.

"Do you visit Winona often?" Flannery asked Wallace brightly. "For business?"

If the handsome man was self-conscious at all, he hid it extraordinarily well. "Yes. Usually we meet halfway since Ever Grande is rather far to travel even flying, but as I was in the area we decided to meet here this time."

"That's great," she smiled. "And… you usually come alone?"

This time Wallace glanced at his companion, who seemed deep in thought, and replied, "Yes, I'm usually alone. But I ran into Steven near Slateport and dragged him here, since it looked like he needed a vacation. I nearly had to knock him unconscious in order to get him to come with me."

"That's great," she repeated. They both looked nonplussed and Flannery blinked. "A vacation is always nice," she amended sheepishly. "If I knew you were coming tonight… I'm sorry to be in the way."

"You're not in the way," Wallace assured. Steven met her eyes for the first time since they saw each other and gave her a fleeting smile.

"Good," she said just as Winona appeared with a large stack of manila folders. The rest of the visit was very short, and after some discussion about the recent field reports and observations, the men took their leave. As Flannery bid them goodnight, she thought Steven definitely looked paler and more wane than their last meeting in Rustboro.

Winona washed their teacups. "Have you heard of the robbery at Devon Corp?" she asked.

Flannery nodded. She hadn't told her about her encounter with the thief. "It failed because of Lanette's security code."

"What? No, I'm talking about the one two nights ago. This time they hacked into the main server and stole two year's worth of data. Devon Corp was in an uproar. The media wouldn't leave them alone." The older woman turned off the water and dried her hands before noticing Flannery's silence. "You didn't hear about it? It was all over the news… Then again, you were traveling."

"Two _year's_ worth?"

There was a visible crease on Winona's brow. "To be honest, we were worried about him. Steven, I mean. On top of the robbery, he's been researching for the Pokémon Association and dealing with his father's health for the past year or so. You saw him right? That guy… he overworks himself."

Flannery frowned. "Then the whole meeting here for business was…"

"Oh, that part's true. I'm surprised Wallace found him so quickly." Winona gave her friend an earnest look. "Flannery. Do you think you can help us while you're here? I don't know how long we can keep up the business act. If you could keep an eye on Steven and make sure he doesn't work on anything… At this rate he's going to collapse."

Flannery wanted to sigh with relief. At first she had been disappointed by Steven's distant behavior, but it was now apparent that he was exhausted and preoccupied. Her relief was quickly replaced by worry. He'd lost weight since the last time she saw him and, judging by the shadows under his eyes, a good deal of sleep as well.

"I'm sorry for asking you this when you came all this way to visit," Winona apologized. "Never mind, you don't have to do anything. We can take care of it."

"No, it's okay," Flannery quickly assured. She smiled. "I want to help."

.


End file.
